This week's hottest travel deals

Eight unmissable offers, from city breaks to cruises

1. For winter adventure: £349 northern lights break in Iceland

Winter may not be foremost in your mind during a heatwave, but it pays to plan ahead. Icelandair is offering a three-night Northern Lights Winter Special package for £349 if you book by 12 July, including flights, a hotel stay in Reykjavík and two excursions.

You'll spend an evening hunting for the northern lights just outside the capital and an afternoon exploring the Golden Circle – an area of natural wonders including the 30-metre high Strokkur geyser, Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir National Park.

The flights are from Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester or Glasgow, and there's a choice of hotels in Reykjavík. The price is based on two sharing on selected dates between November and December.

2. For a dramatic escape: a night in London for £95.50pp

Fans of the Bard can make their way to London this summer for a literary escape with Super Break. The price includes a tour of Shakespeare's Globe, where you can hear tales of the original 16th-century theatre, learn about the 1990s reconstruction process and how it operates today.

Also included are entry to the Globe exhibition and one night's bed and breakfast at the nearby Mercure London Bridge Hotel. Price applies for arrival on 27 August.

3. For bargain hotel stays: up to 25% off with Hilton

Hilton has just launched its summer sale across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with savings of up to 25%. The sale includes more than 400 hotels across all the Hilton brands, including Hilton Garden Inn, DoubleTree and Curio Collection by Hilton.
 
The biggest discount is to be had at the Reichshof Hamburg, Curio Collection by Hilton, where you can bag a double room from €111 a night in August. The hotel is set within an Art Deco building in the city centre, close to Hamburg Art Museum. Book before 3 September for stays up to 8 October.

Hilton

4. For soaking up the midnight sun: more than 50% off Norwegian cruise

Drift past the picture-perfect fjords of Norway and up to a spot where the sun doesn't set. Planet Cruise is offering a two-week trip aboard Cruise & Maritime’s Marco Polo for £949pp, down from £2,079pp.

Departing from Rosyth, Scotland, on 1 August, the Spitsbergen, North Cape & Land of the Midnight Sun cruise takes you along Norway's coastline, into the Arctic Circle, and up to remote Svalbard, where you'll have the surreal experience of daylight at all hours.

The price, based on two sharing, includes an outside cabin (inside is even cheaper, at £779pp), all meals, lectures and entertainment.

5. For a truly last-minute getaway: a week in Mallorca for £438pp

It's not called Lastminute.com for nothing. With the site's new Weekend Deals section, you can bag a bargain break to the Spanish island of Mallorca for just £438pp – as long as you're prepared to go this weekend.

The price is based on two sharing and includes flights from Gatwick to Palma on Saturday evening, plus room-only accommodation at the 5-star Sol House Mallorca in Torrenova. The complex has a pool and is a short walk from the beach – ideal for a fly-and-flop break.

6. For a British cruise: six-night voyages from £499pp

Scottish cruising is some of the world's best, as we've argued here, so set sail around Scotland for less than £500 with Fred. Olsen's summer sale. The Scottish Winter Warmer trip sets off from London Tilbury on 1 December, taking in the sights of Edinburgh and UNESCO City of Design Dundee, as well as the beautiful Highlands.

The £499 price tag is based on two sharing and includes full board in an interior cabin, on-board lectures and entertainment. 

Fred. Olsen is also offering discounts on 35 other cruises, including the three-night River Seine Sojourn from £299 and the 16-night Voyage to the Caribbean from £799, both excluding flights.

7. For the chance to see the solar eclipse: nine-night Deep South USA trip for £1,799pp

Take in three top Deep South cities in one multi-centre Planes, Trains and Automobiles-style tailor-made trip.

Hayes & Jarvis can package up a holiday that starts with three nights in New Orleans, after which you'll take the train to Memphis to spend another three nights. Finally, you'll drive to Nashville for the last three nights, arriving in time for the solar eclipse on 21 August.

The £1,799pp price tag is based on a 14 August departure and includes accommodation at the Omni Royal Orleans, Sheraton Memphis Downtown and Renaissance Nashville, a cooking lesson in New Orleans, train travel and car hire. Flights from Heathrow are also included.

8. For a luxury summer holiday: half-board in Gran Canaria for £489pp (including flights)

Escape to the Canary Islands just before the school holidays start, with this deal from Thomson.

Departing on 15 July, you'll have half-board at the four-star Barceló Occidental Margaritas, in Playa del Inglés, which has tropical gardens, two pools, tennis courts, a spa and a shuttle to the beaches at Maspalomas. The price includes flights from Gatwick and seven nights' half board. Based on two sharing.